Door and trunk lock cover



March 25, 1969 G, J, THIRY 3,434,318

DOOR AND TRUNK LOCK COVER Filed NOV. 21. 1966 FIG. 7 42!l 24 z8 3INVENTOR GERALD d TH/RY A7,' TORNEYS United States Patent O v 3,434,318Gerald J. Thiry, Box 104, Hayward, Wis. 54843 Filed Nov. 21, 1966, Ser.No. 595,908 Int. Cl. Eb 17/18, 17/14; EOSc 19/16 US. Cl. 70--455 i 4Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE vA removable cover for exterior locksand handles of an automobile including a body member having a cavityformed therein with a plurality of magnets embedded in the periphery ofthe body.

against the entrance of water into the lock when the automobile iswashed.

In the northern climes during the winter season when the temperaturedrops -below freezing the washing of an automobile frequently causesWater to enter the door and trunk locks thereof. If the automobile isallowed to remain outside in the cold, the Water in the locks freezes,thereby preventing opening of the lock. Thawing the lock may takeconsiderbale time, and the facilities for thawing the lock may not bereadily available. If the facilities are not available, a seriousemergency may be created, for example, where a spare tire cannot beremoved from a trunk due to a frozen lock when the automobile isconsiderable distance from help, and the outside temperature is belowfreezing. To prevent such an occurrence, water must not be allowed toenter the lock when the car is washed.

It is an object of the invention to provide cover for the lock of anautomobile door or trunk rwhich easily attaches to the car and sealsotr' the lock.

It will not be here attempted to set forth and indicate all of thevarious objects and advantages incident to the invention, but otherobjects and advantages will be referred to in or else Will becomeapparent from that which follows.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,showing by Way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive ideawherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of the lock cover in position upon the lockof a trunk, only a portion of the trunk cover being shown.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the cover shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of theinvention for covering the door lock of an automobile whetherincorporated in the door handle or mounted in the door closely adjacentthe door handle.

FIGURE 5 is a frontv elevational view of the cover illustrated in FIGURE4.

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the cover shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the lock cover A includes theannular body 10 which is preferably formed of a resilient material suchas rubber or the like which is 3,434,318 Patented Mar. 25, 1969conformable to the form and surface of an automobile trunk lid, such as13. Mounted within the annular body 10, by means of molding, are theplurality of magnets 14, which are spaced from the inner surface 16 ofthe body 10 whereby the resilient surface of the body is in contact withthe trunk or door surface for adequate conformance and sealingengagement therewith. The annular body 10 may be provided with a slot orslots which receive the magnets.

Secured to the annular body 10 and extending over the opening 12 thereofis the pliable, waterproof top portion 18. The annular body 10` and thetop 18 form a member having a cavity 19 into which a lock extends whenthe device is in position on a door as described below. The device A isused by placing the same over a lock, such as L, and upon the trunk withthe lock extending into the opening 12. The inner surface 16 of the body1I) is held in intimate contact with the surface of the lid 13 by meansof the magnets 14, thereby sealing off the lock L and preventing waterfrom entering the keyhole 201 of the lock L when the automobile iswashed.

A further embodiment of the invention is found in FIGURES 4-7 as coverB, which includes the peripheral fbody 24 formed of the elongated sidepieces 26 and 28 joined at the ends by the end pieces 30 and 3.2. Theformation of the pieces 26, 28, 30, and 32 forms the opening 34, whichhas dimensions suflicient to encompass an automobile door H handle andlock LL adjacent thereto, FIGURES 4-6. The peripheral body 24 ispreferably formed of a resilient material such as rubber or the like,which is conformable to the form and surface of the side of anautomobile door D. Mounted within the end pieces 30 and 32 forming partof the body 24 by means of molding are the plurality of spaced magnets36, and mounted within the side pieces 26 and 28 by means of molding arethe elongated magnets 38 and 40, respectively. The magnets 36 and themagnets 38 and 40 are all spaced from the inner surface 42 of the endand side pieces whereby the resilient surface of the body 24 is incontact with the door surface for adequate conformance and sealingengagement therewith. The peripheral body 24 may be provided with slotswhich receive the magnets 36, 38, and 40.

Secured to the end and side pieces making up the peripheral body 24 isthe pliable waterproof top portion 42. The dimensions of the peripheralbody 24 and the top 42v are sufiicient to encompass the handle H and thelock LL. The device B is used by placing the same over the handle H andthe lock LL with the peripheral body 24 upon the door D. The magnets 36,38, and `40 maintain a tight sealing engagement of the body 24 with thedoor D whereby water played upon the door cannot enter the lock LL or alock which is incorporated in a handle such as H. The cover B and thecover A, as well, are easily removed by pulling on the same sufficientlyto overcome the action 0f the magnets. With a plurality of spacedmagnets 36 in the end pieces 30 and 32, the end pieces will conform toan irregular design in an automobile door.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cover for exterior locks and handles of an automobile comprising:

(a) a substantially at body member,

(b) said body member having a cavity formed therethrough from one sideto an opposite side of said body member, a cover member secured to saidone 3 side of said body member and extending over said cavity tocompletely cover said cavity, and

(c) a plurality of magnets embedded in said body for attaching said bodyto the body of an automobile to cover a portion thereof, said magnetsbeing spaced about said cavity.

2. The cover of claim 1 in which said body member is formed of aresilient material, and said cover member is formed of a pliable,waterproof material.

3. A cover for exterior locks and handles of an automobile comprising:

(a) a substantially dat body member,

(b) said body member having a cavity -formed therethrough from one sideto an opposite side of said body member, a cover member secured to saidone side of said body member and extending over said cavity tocompletely cover said cavity.

(c) `a plurality of magnets embedded in said body member adjacent theperiphery thereof for attaching said body to the body of an automobileto cover a lock of an automobile, said magnets being spaced about saidcavity.

4 4. The cover of claim 3 in which said body member is formed of aresilient material, and said cover member is formed of a pliable,Waterproof material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,523,940 9/ 1950 Bronson 292-332,585,331 2/1952 King 70-455 2,639,751 5/ 1953 Flaherty 150-52 2,807,84110/1957 Janos 292-2515 X 2,855,578 10/1958 Hirsch 339-12 X 2,904,985 9/1959 Murphy 70-455 X 3,043,289 7/ 1962 FOX 292-2515 X MARVIN A.CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 70-424; 292-2515

